


A Timely Intervention

by Lorixjake



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Ahsoka is So Done, Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Feels, M/M, Obi-Wan Kenobi is a Mess, Padme Lives, Redemption
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:01:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27313030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lorixjake/pseuds/Lorixjake
Summary: What if Obi-Wan hadn't been the only one searching for Anakin? What if Ahsoka and Rex managed to find him on Mustafar? Will they be able to save him from himself?
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, CT-7567 | Rex & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 6
Kudos: 104





	A Timely Intervention

**Author's Note:**

> Just a random idea that came to me after watching the Clone Wars tv series and then Revenge of the Sith.

Terror gnawed at the heart of Anakin Skywalker, now known as Darth Vader. He had done all of this so Palpatine would show him how to save Padme. Instead of telling him, he had sent Anakin on a mission to Mustafar which was the other side of the galaxy. Time was running out. Palpatine had ordered him to kill the younglings at the Temple but he could not do it. He wanted to save his wife, not kill innocent children. Yes, the Jedi Council had betrayed him and Jedi as a whole were untrustworthy but there was still time to teach the children a better way. Instead, he went straight to Mustafar. The sooner he did that, the sooner he could get the power and knowledge he needed. He would kill those who had profited from a war that had cost him so much. If not for this kriffing war he could have left the stupid Order and been with his wife.

He arrived on the molten planet and easily slaughtered the disgusting cowards who had actually expected to be rewarded. He was disgusted. Their deaths felt good. It all felt good. Doing something instead of just waiting. The desperate pleading had infuriated him, feeding his anger along with his fear. Power washed over him and it felt incredible.

He heard a ship arriving and wondered who it could be. Nobody but his Master should know he was here. Anakin walked outside and saw a familiar Naboo ship. Padme. What the kriffing hell was she doing here? She should be on Coruscant, where she could be looked after. The docking ramp lowered and she was running to him. He gathered her in his arms, suddenly grateful. Here was his reminder of why he was doing this.

“What are you doing all the way out here?” He asked curiously.

“Obi-Wan told me terrible things.” She replied. His heart went cold. Obi-Wan. His brother. His friend. Now he was trying to poison Padme against him? The betrayal stung far more than anything the kriffing Jedi Council had done.

“What things?” 

“He said you turned to the Dark Side.” Anakin bristled. Obi-Wan just didn’t understand. No Jedi could understand.

“Obi-Wan is trying to turn you against me.” He told her. The words tasted like acid in his mouth. He never thought the older Jedi would stoop so low.

“He cares about us?” She argued.  _ Us? How had Obi-Wan found out?  _

“Us?”

“He knows about us. He wants to help you.”  _ Oh yes. He wanted to help him by turning his wife against him. And apparently he knew she was his wife and he still did so. Some help.  _ Anakin did not want to talk about Obi-Wan anymore. “Anakin, all I want is your love.”   
  


“And you have it. But love won’t save you.” He stated. “Only my new powers can do that.”  _ Well, once Master Sidious shows me how. _ Anakin added in his head.

“At what cost?” She asked. Anakin frowned. How could she not understand? He would pay  _ any  _ cost to save her. “You’re a good person. Don’t do this.”

“I’m doing this for you.” He reminded her sharply. “I cannot lose you the way I lost my mother.” It would break him completely. “I’m becoming more powerful than the Jedi ever dreamed of so I can save you.”

“Come away with me. Help me raise our child.” Padme pleaded. Oh how he wanted to. But despite everything the Chancellor had done for him, he did not trust Sidious completely. He needed his power to save Padme and then he would kill his Master. Only once he was gone, would their family be safe. Besides, Anakin was sick of serving others. He had done so his whole life and it had cost him everything. Instead he would rise and rule himself with Padme and their child beside him.

“We can’t. I have taken the first steps and soon I will have brought peace to the Republic. I am more powerful than the Chancellor. I can overthrow him. Then we can rule the galaxy. Put it right the way we talked about all those years ago on Naboo.” Padme was backing away from him and he didn’t understand why. Anger flared inside him. She didn’t trust him. Whatever Obi-Wan had said was working.

“I can’t believe what I’m hearing.” She muttered. His grin faded. Why did she look so panicked? “Obi-Wan was right. You’ve changed.”  _ No, no, no, no, he was losing her. He was going to kill Obi-Wan for this. How could he save her if she didn’t trust him?  _

“I don’t want to hear anymore about Obi-Wan.” He told her angrily. “The Jedi turned against me, don’t you betray me as well.” He pleaded but his voice was growing angrier. Terror and betrayal and anger all welled up inside him.

“I don’t know you anymore.” Tears welled in her eyes and it only served to make his frustration grow. “Anakin, you’re breaking my heart. You’re going down a path I can’t follow.” 

“Because of Obi-Wan?” He spat.

“Because of what you plan to do.” He faltered. Did she want to die? Did she want to leave him alone in this universe? Then he spotted Obi-Wan himself standing at the top of the ramp. His anger, which had momentarily subsided, roared back into life stronger than ever. Padme had brought him here? Had she just been distracting him with all the talk of running away so Obi-Wan could kill him on the ship with his defences down? He had lost his mother, the Jedi betrayed him and now his brother had convinced his own wife to betray him. Anakin had nothing left and that enraged him. He had fought too kriffing hard for too kriffing long to lose everything that mattered to him. “I love you.” Padme was saying. His temper snapped.

“LIAR!” He yelled. How could she still claim to love him when she had brought the man he had considered his brother there to kill him? Padme turned as Obi-Wan slowly walked down the ramp.

“No.” She cried. 

“You’re with him.” He accused. “You brought him here to kill me.” That thought broke his heart. He raised a hand and Padme began choking.

“Let her go, Anakin.” Obi-Wan ordered. Too bad he didn’t have to follow his orders any more.

“Ani, I…” Padme tried to speak but she had done enough talking in his mind.

“Let her go!” Obi-Wan ordered once more. Out of an instinct he had carried for so many years, Anakin obeyed and let go. He watched with cool detachment as Padme fell to the floor. Then he turned to his old friend.

“You turned her against me.”

“You did that yourself.” The disgust in Obi-Wan’s voice made a small tendril of shame wrap around him. Then he squashed it down and replaced it with more anger.

“You will not take her from me.” He yelled desperately.

“Your anger and your lust for power have already done that.” Obi-Wan replied as they both discarded their cloaks. Then there was the sound of more engines. “You have allowed this Dark Lord to twist your mind until you have become the very thing you swore to destroy.” 

“Don’t lecture me, Obi-Wan. You’ve done enough of that.”

“If you’d paid attention to some of my lectures maybe you wouldn’t be in this state.” Obi-Wan retorted. Unable to help himself, some part of Anakin wanted to snort in laughter. They circled each other and then Obi-Wan was bending down to check on Padme. The new ship landed somewhere as he could hear the engines cut out. 

“Don’t make me kill you.” He pleaded. No matter how furious he was, he owed Obi-Wan a last chance to go and save his own life.

“Anakin, my allegiance is to the Republic. To Democracy! Not an Empire run by the Sith.”

“If you are not with me, then you are against me.” Anakin told him, his tenuous grasp on his temper was slipping again. 

“Only the Sith deal in absolutes.” Obi-Wan replied calmly. “I will do what I must.” It was the calmness that did it. How could Obi-Wan be calm now? How was this not tearing him apart as it was Anakin?

“You will try.” Anakin told him. He heard the familiar sound of a lightsaber igniting. He ignited his own and then they were fighting. It was a relief. Fighting was familiar. Fighting allowed him to stop thinking. Instead he could pour all of his awful emotions into his blade and it was bliss. It was intense but he thrived on the intensity. They knew each other so well that regardless of skill, it was completely even. Each of them knew what the other was going to do before they did it.

Then he heard doors opening and the sound of feet running towards them. Had Obi-Wan brought backup?

“Anakin! Obi-Wan!” He knew that voice. His heart broke a little more. Obi-Wan had poisoned Ahsoka against him as well. “What are you two doing? Stop this madness!” She demanded. 

“Please, Generals.” Rex was with her. That jarred Anakin. Rex should have killed Ahsoka and he couldn’t help but be pleased that he hadn’t. He didn’t take his focus from Obi-Wan but maneuvered the fight so he could see the newcomers. Blurred through the whirling lightsaber blades but there they were. His little Snips. Not so little anymore though. Would he have to kill her too? 

At that thought, it was like a fog lifted from his brain. He was fighting Obi-Wan. How could he? Sure, he felt beyond betrayed by his brother in all but blood but he couldn’t kill him. Anakin pushed Obi-Wan away from him as gently as he could with the Force and deactivated his lightsaber.

“What are you doing here, Ahsoka?” His voice came out more harshly than he had intended. Obi-Wan deactivated his lightsaber, relief all over his face.

“Rex and I heard about what happened. Rex here actually tried to kill me.”

“I said I was sorry.” Rex interrupted her. Ahsoka rolled her eyes.

“Anyway, we found out about the chips that made the Clones kill the Jedi.”

“Fives was right, General.” Rex added. Anakin closed his eyes. The Jedi had deserved it.

“You said it yourself Ahsoka, the Jedi lost their way. Something needed to be done!” Anakin reminded her. 

“What? So you had a hand in this? You did this?” She asked in growing horror.

“No. It was Palpatine. He is a Sith Lord.”

“Anakin has been helping him.” Obi-Wan added. “Wonderful as this conversation is, we need to get Padme to a medical centre.” Anakin refocused on his wife. He seemed to feel nothing. Despite his head being clear it was as if everything she was to him had burned away in his anger.

“Well, are you two likely to burst out fighting again?” Ahsoka asked.

“I would rather not.” Obi-Wan told her calmly. “But Anakin had joined the Sith.”

“All I wanted was to save Padme.” Anakin whispered. The full weight of what he had done was crashing around him. He had done all of this for her and then he had killed her himself. Maybe he did deserve to die.

“So you strangled her?” Obi-Wan asked disgustedly.

“She turned against me. You poisoned her against me.” Anakin cried out. His anger gone, all he had left was pain and betrayal.

“You turned to the Dark Side. Padme would never have wanted that.”

“I needed more power. I was not powerful enough to save her from my dreams.”

“Look, Padme is alive. Let’s get her to a medical facility quickly so she stays that way and we can work from there.” Ahsoka suggested. Anakin nodded. 

“I’m taking his lightsaber.” Obi-Wan stated. Anakin was about to protest but then hung his head. He used the Force to send it to the other man. His love might have been burned away, but he did not want Padme to die. If she died then it meant everything he had done was for nothing. Besides, she was still carrying his child. Obi-Wan looked at him in surprise.

“I did this so she would live.” He stated again. 

“Palpatine has taken over everywhere and will probably want to know what has happened to his new apprentice. We need somewhere discreet.” Obi-Wan pointed out.

“Polis Massa.” Anakin suggested. 

“Obi-Wan, take Padme and Rex to our ship. I’ll go with Anakin and meet you there.” Ahsoka stated firmly.

“I…” Anakin began. Ahsoka cut him off with a stern look that he had never seen on her before. It was surprising enough that he nodded his consent. Obi-Wan gently picked up Padme and began walking away. Ahsoka put a hand on his shoulder and guided him into the Naboo ship. She sat in the pilot seat and once they were underway, turned to him.

“You wanna tell me what the kriffing hell that was about?” She demanded, suddenly furious.

“Language.” He scolded out of instinct.

“Really? You’re telling me off for my language after what I’ve just witnessed?” She scowled at him.

“Sorry.” 

“Tell me what happened since we last spoke.” She demanded, this time in a softer voice. So Anakin told her everything. Killing Dooku in cold blood. Being appointed to the Council only to spy on the Chancellor. Obi-Wan being sent to Utapau instead of him. Finding out the Chancellor was a Sith lord. Telling Windu and being made to stay behind while they went to confront him. Being so scared for Padme, believing the Chancellor was the only one who could tell him how to save her. Trying to convince Windu to arrest him instead of killing an unarmed man as he had done with Dooku. Finding himself cutting Windu’s hand off in desperation. Watching him die and swearing to serve Sidious. Finally about coming to Mustafar and Padme turning up.

Now that he had started talking, he found that he simply could not stop. Anakin continued telling her about how he had grown up constantly feeling the distrust of the Jedi around him and yet how they viewed him as the Chosen One. They wanted him to save them and yet were scared of his power. His voice grew strained as explained that he had had similar visions of his mother and that she had died before he could save her.

“Oh, Anakin.” Ahsoka sighed. “The Jedi may have made mistakes...big mistakes but why in the galaxy would you think a Sith would be any better?” She asked him. 

“Maybe not better. I just wanted the power to save Padme.” He told her, voice breaking as he silently pleaded with her to understand. 

“And yet, if you hadn’t joined the Sith, she might not have needed saving. Maybe, by trying to prevent it, you made it happen.” Ahsoka pointed out. A wounded noise escaped him.

“No. She’s not dead. They can fix this.” He muttered, more to himself.

“Hopefully you stopped in time.” Her voice was cold now. He looked up and saw anger in her eyes. Anakin recalled that Padme had been friends with Ahsoka.

“Once Padme is ok, I’ll go and kill Palpatine myself. I will end all of this.” Anakin vowed.

“You’ll get yourself killed.” Ahsoka said dismissively. “He’s the most powerful man in the galaxy right now and has announced it to the world.”

“If we kill him now, before he has complete control, then we can get everything settled.” Before they could argue some more, Polis Massa came into view. The ship Ahsoka and Rex had been using was already there. Anakin was slightly surprised they had managed to arrive first but whatever got Padme the help she needed. He followed Ahsoka, feeling completely numb now. His talk with Ahsoka had drained the rest of his emotions. Obi-Wan and Rex were waiting in a corridor, looking through a glass window into a room. Padme lay on a bed inside with medical droids all around her.

“Ahsoka.” Obi-Wan greeted the Togruta. He ignored Anakin.

“Obi-Wan, Rex. How is she?”

“Stable for now.” Obi-Wan stated. “Apparently she is carrying twins.”

“Twins?” Anakin asked weakly. He felt like all the air had been stolen from his lungs. “I didn’t sense...she never said...twins?” He mumbled in utter shock. 

“Indeed.” Obi-Wan told him flatly. Suddenly Anakin wished they were fighting again. He could cope with Obi-Wan being angry with him. He did not know how to deal with one who treated him with such cold indifference.

“Obi-Wan, I…” Anakin broke off. He did not know what to say. The feeling of betrayal was still simmering under the surface. Part of him wanted to fix this and the other part wanted to demand an apology from the older man. There was no time to do either though. A medical droid came out, telling them they could go in. Anakin hesitated. He didn’t really have much right after what he had done. But Ahsoka nudged his arm and forced him inside. He stood back and allowed Obi-Wan to stand over Padme.

“Obi-Wan. Where is Anakin?” She asked in a whisper. Anakin stiffened. Did she hope he was dead?

“He’s right here.” Obi-Wan told her gently.

“Oh thank goodness.” Pamde cried in relief. Anakin blinked in surprise as he moved over so she could see him.

“I’m here Padme. I’m so sorry.” He sunk down to his knees beside her bed. She gripped his hand and smiled weakly.

“It’s alright, Ani. I knew there was still good in you.” She told him, reaching one hand up to touch his face. Then her features screwed up in pain. The medical droid moved them all backwards as she screamed. Anakin’s hands moved to his hair, tugging desperately at the thick strands. He could not bear this. Eventually there was silence, followed by the cry of a baby.

“It’s a boy.”

“Luke.” Padme whispered. Then she screamed once more. The droids handed the baby to Anakin. Before he could think better of it he took the bundle in his arms and stared down into the small face of his son. The feeling was indescribable. All of his simmering anger and pain faded to nothingness. They were swallowed up and obliterated by the overwhelming rush of love for the tiny baby boy in his arms. 

“Hey there, Luke.” He cooed. The baby let out a tiny yawn. Anakin grinned. 

“He’s adorable.” Ahsoka said, coming over.

“Yes he is.” Anakin agreed happily. 

“It’s a girl.” Announced the droid, making Anakin look up in surprise. He had almost forgotten there was a second baby.

“Leia.” Whispered Padme. Anakin reluctantly handed Ahsoka the baby in his arms and reached out for his little girl. The droid gave Leia to him. This time, Anakin moved to stand beside Padme once more.

“Hey, you did it. Here’s our little girl.” He told her quietly. Padme blinked tiredly. 

“Leia?” 

“Yeah, this is Leia. Ahsoka has Luke over there.” He assured her. 

“Oh, Ani.” Padme whispered.

“It’ll be ok. I promise.”

“You can’t know that.” 

“I can and I do. You’re alive. I can deal with everything else.”

“Plan to do that, how do you?” Yoda’s voice came from the doorway. Anakin almost jumped out of his skin.

“Master Yoda.” He glanced over at Obi-Wan. He must have told Yoda where to find them. Maybe he couldn’t bring himself to do it so brought Yoda here to kill him. Anakin blinked back tears. Another betrayal.

“Betrayed the Jedi you did.” Yoda stated in his usual calm manner. Anakin closed his eyes. “Joined the Sith, hmm.”

“Yes.” He whispered, unable to look at anyone. A hand touched his. Padme. Comforting him even when he did not deserve it. Anakin finally glanced up. Then he handed Leia over to Rex. The Clone looked so uncomfortable holding a baby that in any other situation Anakin might have laughed. “If you are going to kill me, I’d rather not do it in front of my children.” He said in a resigned voice. He could not fight Yoda, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka even if he had the desire, which he didn’t.

“Not going to kill you.” Padme stated. “I won’t let them. You’re good.”

“Shhh, Padme. You need to rest.” Anakin told her softly. The group moved out of the room to allow her to get some sleep.

“Agree, I do. Kill you, we will not.” Yoda stated.

“I need to kill Palpatine. Only then will we be safe.”

“Too powerful, he is. Kill you, he will.” Yoda replied firmly. “Into hiding, we all must go.”

“He will be able to sense me in the Force. He will never stop hunting me.” Anakin pointed out desperately.

“I suggest that Padme and the twins go into hiding and we find a way to stop Palpatine.” Obi-Wan spoke up. Anakin’s briefly patched up heart broke all over again. Leave his children? This would be a long mission unless he killed Palpatine now. The longer they waited the harder it would become. Besides, how long could he cope with the cold indifference with which Obi-Wan was treating him?

Still, maybe it would be better for the children to be away from him. He had almost killed Padme. What if he..?  _ No! _ Anakin could not finish that thought.

“If you do that then I’m coming too.” Ahsoka stated firmly. He glanced at her. That would help. He had missed Ahsoka recently and she would help make a buffer between him and Obi-Wan.

“You’re not going anywhere without me.” Rex told her mildly. She grinned at him.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” 

“Alright, the four of us will find a way to stop Palpatine.” Obi-Wan nodded. “There is still the question of where to send Padme.”

“She could hide on Tatooine. My stepbrother, Owen, would help her.” Anakin spoke up after a few moments of awkward silence.

“Decided, it is.” Yoda said gravely. Anakin took Leia from Rex and cradled her to his chest. This would be the last time he would see her for a long time, possibly ever. A tear trickled down his cheek but he ignored it. Then he handed Leia to Obi-Wan and took Luke back from Ahsoka. Anakin knew he had to say his goodbyes now or he would never have the strength to leave them. This was his penance. His family would live but he would not be with them. Once he had finished cuddling Luke, he kissed his son and then placed him in a crib the droid had brought over. 

Finally he went back over to Padme. She was already asleep which he was grateful for even though he knew it made him a coward. He whispered an ‘I’m sorry’ to her once more and then kissed her forehead. She was alive. That had to be enough. 

Eventually he tore himself away and left the room without looking at anyone. He strode back to the Naboo ship as quickly as possible. Then he flung himself down on the pilot’s chair and finally succumbed to tears. It might have been hours, Anakin couldn’t tell, before he heard the doors open. The light footsteps told him it was Obi-Wan behind him. He tensed. Was Obi-Wan going to finish the betrayal by stabbing him in the back? Anakin found that he wouldn’t blame his old friend if he did. Still, he kept his face in his hands, not wanting to see whatever expression was on Obi-Wan’s face. He heard the older man sit down in the co-pilot chair. 

“Anakin.” There was that calm voice that had always brought comfort to Anakin when he needed it most. Now it just made him wince. “Anakin.” Obi-Wan said, more firmly. Finally, he forced himself to look up and his eyes met Obi-Wan’s. His eyes had always been expressive, even if his face was not. Now they were full of hurt and pain and looking into those eyes made Anakin’s heart clench. He dropped his gaze and stared at his knees.

“Yes?” He asked, cringing when his voice came out hoarse and broken. 

“Why?” One simple word almost made him burst into tears again. No further explanation was required, he knew precisely what Obi-Wan was asking. 

“For Padme.”

“You betrayed the Jedi, the Republic, for Padme?” Anakin could only nod.

“I couldn’t watch her die the way I watched my mother die. Palpatine offered me the power to save her.”

“And you believed him?” The icy scorn in Obi-Wan’s voice stung.

“I was desperate. I needed Padme. She’s the only person who loved me and trusted me.”

“I loved you!” Obi-Wan yelled bitterly. Anakin slowly looked back up at his old mentor. Suddenly a damn burst. He stood and began yelling the same things he had told Ahsoka. He yelled about his hurt and humiliation and frustration at growing up in the Temple as an outcast because he was too old. He paced up and down the small cockpit as he recounted every time he had sensed that the Jedi didn’t really trust him, or want him around and how Palpatine had made him feel more welcome than anyone else on the planet. His voice grew hoarse as he screamed about how he had felt like a burden to Obi-Wan in the beginning, how he had felt like Obi-Wan had only taken him on because of Qui-Gon, not because he actually liked Anakin. Twelve years of withheld emotions came pouring out of him, along with a few more tears, and in the midst of all the horrible feelings, there had been Padme. She had befriended the lonely slave boy, she had loved him and been there for him when he lost his mother. She had trusted that there was good in him even when no one else did, including himself. 

Eventually he ran out of steam. Then he realised what he had done and in front of whom. He made to leave but an arm grabbed his sleeve.

“No. You’ve had your say. Now you get to listen to me.” Obi-Wan glared at him. “You’re an idiot.” Anakin snorted.

“Thanks.” 

“I failed you, Anakin. And I’m sorry. So, very, very sorry. For what it’s worth, I did trust you. To the end. I refused to believe you were a Sith until I saw some security footage of you swearing to follow Sidious.” Anakin recoiled in shock but Obi-Wan was still talking. “I’m sorry about your mother and that I made you feel like you couldn’t come to me. I’m sorry I ever gave you the impression that I didn’t trust you. But you were never a burden to me. Yes, I took you as my apprentice because Qui-Gon requested it but having you, training you, helped me to overcome my grief. You saved me, you were the furthest thing from a burden. I failed as your teacher, it never occured to me to treat you any differently to a regular apprentice who had been training since they were babies. I didn’t think that your upbringing might need a different approach and for that I’m sorry too.” Now Obi-Wan was the one looking at the floor, unwilling to meet Anakin’s stunned gaze. 

Anakin had no idea what to say. Instead he held out a hand. Obi-Wan looked at it with a frown before grabbing it. Anakin hauled him to his feet and embraced him, hard.

“Forgive me? Please?” He whispered hoarsely into his friend’s ear. Obi-Wan’s grip on him tightened. For a few heartstopping seconds there was no reply. Finally, warm breath tickled his ear as the whispered response came.

“Always.” Anakin sobbed with relief. Finally he stood back from Obi-Wan.

“Brothers?” He offered his flesh hand once more. Obi-Wan took it and smiled at him. Just a twitch of the lips really but it was enough.

“Brothers.” The older man nodded. Anakin grinned as relief threatened to buckle his knees once more. Things wouldn’t go back to the way they were, there was still too much broken trust and hurt between them for that. One heart to heart wasn’t going to magically fix anything but there was a light at the end of the tunnel and Anakin grasped at it gratefully. He wouldn’t lose Obi-Wan and that thought was enough to keep him going. His family was safe, Obi-Wan was with him and Palpatine was going to pay.


End file.
